By Abubakar Hassan
Former Kano governor and NNPP leader, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, is indirectly working for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election, Kano State Governor’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa made the allegation.
Bature insisted that a proposed political arrangement involving Kwankwaso and Labour Party’s Peter Obi is only temporary and unlikely to survive.
It was reported that Peter Obi was cleared on Wednesday to participate in the presidential primary of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has expressed readiness to work with him as a vice presidential candidate
In an interview on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Wednesday, Sanusi Bature claimed that the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) is no longer viable as a political platform for the 2027 elections, arguing that internal consultations had already produced a consensus on alternative political options involving the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“The NNPP is no longer a formidable platform for 2027. There was an agreement among critical stakeholders, including Rabiu Kwankwaso, to find a lasting solution ahead of 2027 because the NNPP cannot fly on its own.”
Bature further stated that discussions had taken place among key political actors in Kano regarding possible realignments. “With Kwankwaso’s consent, we approached Tinubu and the APC as our Option A to explore joining the party, so that the possibility of joining FEC can come into play.”
He added that Kwankwaso himself initially expressed interest in engaging President Tinubu directly in political negotiations but later abandoned the process when travel plans intervened. “Kwankwaso insisted on speaking to President Tinubu before any possible defection. However, after a date was set, he cancelled the appointment, saying he was going to China, and never rescheduled.”
“Somebody who said Tinubu is his friend; he ordered his political godson, the governor, to meet the President to discuss the issue of partnership and defection to APC. He withdrew at the very last hour to pursue another separate movement.Nigerian Pilgrim Services
“What I want to make clear here is that there are those working for Tinubu openly, directly in the public space and there are those who can work for Tinubu behind the scenes. And I believe whatever Kwankwaso is doing will favour Tinubu at the end of the day because Kwankwaso has worked for Tinubu in 2023.
“Kwankwaso is getting confused. Somebody who does not believe in the Yoruba presidency has been moving from Abeokuta and Ibadan to seek political fortune. He has been engaging Obasanjo, the Oyo State governor to secure a political fortune.
“This is an element of political confusion because if you believe in something, you have to work for it, and if you don’t, you can’t work on it.
“At some point, he sought Governor Makinde to secure a similar partnership and when Makinde opted out of that discussion, Kwankwaso went to Obi, the same Obi that he has been calling names. He saw Obi as an inferior political leader that he can’t even work with in 2023.”
Bature argued that a Peter Obi–Kwankwaso presidential ticket would not be successful in Kano. “Kwankwaso Obi ticket cannot fly in Kano. Kwankwaso alone under NNPP, was able to secure over a million votes in Kano in 2023. But believe me, in 2027, with Obi as presidential candidate and Kwankwaso as vice presidential candidate, that ticket cannot secure one million votes in Kano, cannot. And time will come, we’ll see.”
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